Something Borrowed
by karevsprincess
Summary: Don't wear white to a wedding if you're not the bride. Don't be that friend who gets sloppy drunk. Make sure your phone doesn't ring in the middle of the ceremony. And most of all – if you're the maid of honor, do not under any circumstances fall in love with the groom. Spencer Hastings may have broken that last one. AU Spoby.
1. prologue

**A/N**: This is an idea that came to me while I was watching wedding specials on TLC. How exactly episodes of _Four Weddings_ came to become this AU in my mind I'm not exactly sure, but it happened – I think I started thinking about the "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" saying. I have the rest of this story mapped out already (it won't be very long, less than ten chapters I think) because I can never finish a multi-chapter story unless I have a plan. I have a short attention span, what can I say.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this first chapter and a review would mean very much to me! This prologue is just setting up the story – you will find out more details and see more characters from the show very soon.

**Disclaimer**: _Pretty Little Liars_ is not mine.

* * *

**Prologue**

_Something old,  
something new,  
something borrowed,  
something blue,  
and a silver sixpence in her shoe._

Traditional Rhyme

As Spencer Hastings downed her second vodka soda of the evening, she couldn't help but think that this was so _not_ how she'd planned for her life to turn out. Just a few weeks ago she'd been fine – she'd thought she was happy, even. She was twenty-nine years old going on thirty, the head of a successful event coordinating company, and married to her seemingly perfect husband. But in an instant her entire world had been flipped upside down and left her flat on her ass.

"I can't believe this," her friend Aria Montgomery said from the barstool beside her. "Are you sure you can't work through it?"

Spencer finished her drink and shook her head. "He's cheating on me, Aria. It's really over."

On her other side, their friend Hanna Marin took a long sip from her martini. "He's an idiot, Spence. Seriously – if he didn't realize how lucky he was to have you, then screw him. You're so much better than some busty bimbo. How soon can you get rid of him?"

"I got the papers sent out before I came here. We decided to settle out of court – something about him having a reputation to uphold. Whatever, I'm just ready for it to be over with."

"Honestly, I'm shocked." Aria said as the three friends got up from the bar – a third drink in Spencer's hand – and made their way over to the dinner table. "You and Wren were one of those couples everyone rooted for. I thought he was so in love with you."

"I thought so too." Spencer said with a sigh. Of course she and Wren had their problems like everyone else, but it had never been that bad. She'd thought they were still in their honeymoon phase. Then she'd come home early one day and had found some women's undergarments that did not belong to her – and Wren, he had had the audacity to try and pass them off as her own. Please, she wasn't stupid – she'd remember if she had been the one to leave a black lace thong hanging off their bedpost. When she'd found it, she'd taken what was left of her dignity and asked Wren for a divorce. His lack of hesitation in agreeing only further confirmed that their marriage was truly over.

Spencer's hand clenched around the glass just at the memory. She'd sworn when she got married she wasn't going to let her marriage fall apart like her parents' had, and now here she was single again because her now ex-husband was a no good bastard. Her perfect life was in shambles. "Can we just talk about literally anything else?" She asked now as they took their seats around the table.

"Okay," Hanna obliged. "So, what do you think Ali brought us here to talk about tonight?"

Alison DiLaurentis just so happened to be Spencer's best friend since childhood. She was close to Aria and Hanna too, but Ali and her had a special relationship. Their friendship had its ups and downs – sometimes they butted heads or their personalities clashed, and Ali was known to be at times snarky or even selfish – but Spencer had a great deal of love for the other girl. Throughout the years she had seen sides of Alison no one else had – she knew for a fact that Alison was a good person at heart, who cared about her friends and only acted out because she was secretly insecure. And tonight Alison had asked Spencer, Aria and Hanna to meet her at their favorite Rittenhouse Square restaurant – apparently she had something big to tell them. Spencer knew everything going on in Alison's life before anyone else but this time she had no idea what was in store.

"Maybe she got that job in New York she was talking about," Spencer offered up. "I helped her prepare for her interview, I'm sure she nailed it."

Aria wrinkled up her nose. "Do you really think she's moving? When we talked on the phone it didn't seem to be anything like that."

Just then a stylish blonde in a trench coat and a Michael Kors purse turned the corner. Alison pushed her sunglasses up onto the top of her head and smiled brightly, extending her arms so her friends knew she expected them to rise and hug her. "Hello, my darlings!" She said in her typical, over the top Alison fashion. "I have big news to share!"

She hugged Aria first, then Hanna, before finally making her way to Spencer. Their embrace lingered a moment longer than the others' had before Alison took her seat on the opposite side of the table – because what was a queen without her throne?

The waitress came around and filled their water glasses, while Alison ordered a Cosmopolitan and smiled as she flashed her ID – she was the only one of them who still constantly got carded even though they were almost thirty, a fact she was quite proud of. Once they'd received another round of cocktails Alison sipped hers silently for a few moments, surely trying to build the anticipation – it was working, as Hanna's leg was bouncing up and down so much that it was making Spencer's silverware shake.

"Okay," Hanna said, her leg finally still as she gave in to her curiosity. "What is it that you wanted to tell us?"

Alison smirked and daintily wiped the corners of her mouth before she gave her answer. "Well," She began. "I got that fashion merchandising job in New York –"

"I knew it!" Spencer interjected, feeling overwhelmed with pride. She was about to turn and tell Aria and Hanna to take that, ha she was right, when Alison continued speaking.

"Hold on, Spence." She said. "That's not my big news. Anyway, so like I mentioned before, I've been seeing this guy for a little while now –"

"Yeah and you won't let us meet him," Aria chimed in. "Is that your surprise? Are we finally going to meet this mystery man?"

"Closer, but not quite." Alison said. "Let me finish girls, won't you? I'll explain everything in a minute. So anyway, when I told him I was leaving, he was so devastated. He told me he never wanted to lose me and well, to make a long story short –" She held up her left hand, eliciting three gasps from her friends across the table. Alison's ring finger was now adorned with a princess cut diamond ring. "He proposed!"

"What?!" Three voices all chorused at the same time. Hanna's jaw was on the floor. Aria was covering her mouth with her hand. Spencer's eyes were wider probably than they'd ever been.

"I'm getting married, ladies!" Alison affirmed. "Come on, let's order another round of drinks on me –"

"Ali," Spencer said, cutting her off before she could summon the waitress back. "I'm happy for you but –"

"Don't worry Spence," Alison cut in. "It's already been decided that I will be hiring you to plan the wedding. It's going to be the event of the century, I already know…"

"That's not what I was going to say," Spencer said. "How long have you been dating this guy, Ali? Isn't it a little soon?"

"Well, we met for the first time at one of Noel's Halloween parties. You remember Noel, right Spence? We used to go to his frat parties all the time in college…"

"Halloween was barely three months ago!" Spencer said. "And now you're ready to marry him?"

Alison rolled her eyes. "Oh Spence, always the skeptic. Trust me, when you know you know. Wasn't it like that with you and Wren?"

Spencer averted her eyes. "Actually Al," Hanna said gently. "Spencer and Wren broke up. They got the papers and everything."

Alison frowned and touched her heart overdramatically. "Oh my God, I had no idea. I can only imagine the heartache you must be feeling right now…" She took a sip of her Cosmo and her face promptly lit up again. "I know what will make you feel better! Spencer, how would you like to be my maid of honor?"

_Sure, because being your maid of honor will totally make up for my marriage falling apart_. Spencer thought sarcastically. Instead she simply forced a smile. "I would be honored, Ali. Thank you." After all Alison was her best friend. Sometimes she was self-centered but Spencer loved her like a sister.

"So," Alison said. "Are you ready to meet my fiancé? He's waiting right outside." She didn't wait for an answer, instead getting up and heading back towards the waiting area. She returned a moment later, a tall, dark haired man now on her arm. "Darlings, this is Toby – my future husband."

Spencer looked up and her breath caught in her throat. All she had to do was look at his guy's eyes – those bright blue eyes – and she _knew_.

"Nice to meet all of you," Toby said, his blue eyes surveying Aria, Hanna and then her. When their gazes meet she saw the recognition sweep across his face, but then he immediately hid it away.

She shoved her glass away from her forcefully, sending an ice cube skittering across the tablecloth. Suddenly she felt like she was going to throw up – and it wasn't from the vodka sodas.

Alison's new fiancé? Well turns out he wasn't so new at all.


	2. chapter i

**A/N**: Thanks for all your lovely reviews! I was going to post this yesterday, but I had major feels from the _Revenge_ series finale that compelled me to write a one-shot and I was busy attending to that. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter (personally I hate writing the second chapter of a story - to me it's always the hardest) and if you review I'd love you so much for it. The more reviews, the quicker the update! I don't want to write if I think no one is interested, you know?The next chapter is already written and I like it a lot more than I like this one. It's more from Toby's POV and you will get to see even more characters from the show in it!

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**Nine Months Before The Wedding**

"So, everything is prepared for the engagement party next week. The DiLaurentises are hosting and they're sparing no expense. Spencer? Spencer are you listening to me?"

Spencer snapped back to reality, having not even realized that she'd drifted off. She was daydreaming, _again_. She never used to do this, not until recently. "Sorry Mona," She said. "You know how I am before I get my coffee."

Her assistant rolled her eyes. "I know, there's a pot brewing in your office as we speak. What would you do without me? Anyway, like I said everything's set for the engagement party. I confirmed with the photographer for the engagement photos and you're taking Alison and Toby to meet with caterers on Saturday. Has Alison picked her dress yet?"

"Yes, she has." Spencer confirmed. She walked back to her office, Mona at her heels, to see if the coffee was done yet. Hopefully a caffeine jolt would get her out of her fog. "It's currently being altered to meet her…her very specific standards. And we ordered bridesmaid dresses online. She wanted hot pink but I convinced her berry tones would be better for a September wedding. It was almost a twenty minute argument but she finally saw it my way."

Mona shook her head and stuck her pen behind her ear. "I swear, nine months is not enough time to plan this wedding. I don't know how you're so calm."

_That's because I'm not_. "Yeah well I need something to focus my energy on." Spencer replied. She poured herself an extra-large mug of black coffee and made her way back out towards the storefront – Mona was probably going to get whiplash from following her back and forth.

"That's right, I heard about you and Wren. I'm so sorry. I don't know what I'd do if Mike ever did that to me…"

Spencer glared at her over the rim of her coffee mug. "Please Mona, do not mention him right now. Or ever again."

"Right," Mona said. "So, let's talk about entertainment. Band or DJ?"

She opened her mouth to respond when she was cut off by the bell above the door jingling. When Spencer turned around, she froze. The exact person she'd been trying (and failing) to stop thinking about since they met at the restaurant last week was now walking into her store.

"Is that the groom?" Mona whispered, her interest clearly piqued by the tall, handsome stranger in the leather jacket. "He's…wow."

Spencer bit her lip. She'd been telling herself that she needed to stop thinking about Toby, but planning his wedding made that very hard. She kept wondering what she would say to him if they got the chance to be alone, and now it seemed like that moment was here. "Mona, I think I heard the phone ringing in my office. Can you go get it please?" Mona looked skeptical but obliged.

"Hey," Spencer said nervously as she approached him. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to talk to you," Toby replied. "You know, away from Ali."

"Does she know about us?" Spencer blurted out. Realizing her mistake, she quickly backpedaled. "I mean, not that there's an us anymore but you know…before?"

The first time they'd met had been during Senior Week the summer after high school – she'd gone down to the Jersey shore with Ali, Hanna and Aria. She'd met him one night on the boardwalk when the other girls had gone off to ride the biggest coaster at the amusement park. Spencer and Toby had hit it off right away. They'd exchanged numbers before she went off to rejoin her friends and so every night for the rest of the week they'd meet up on the beach at night. Most of the time they had just talked – she told him about how she was supposed to become an attorney, but that at the end of summer she was going to tell her parents she wanted to start her own business instead. He told her about his own family, his mother's recent diagnosis, and how when this vacation was over he was going to make her proud by joining the police academy.

At the end of the week they'd said goodbye and promised to keep in touch. It was a relationship that burned fast and far too quickly. For years Spencer and Toby kept in contact, but as time passed their correspondence decreased in frequency. After she graduated from college and met Wren – then a bright young surgical intern at HUP who her parents absolutely adored, more than she did at times – the pressures to settle down started to come and so she decided it would be best to start her future with a clean slate. While he was her first real love affair – her first everything really – she thought what she had with Wren was worth a shot. The last time Spencer had spoken to Toby had been five years ago – until last week when he'd come back into her life again as her best friend's fiancé.

"No," Toby replied. "At least, I haven't told her."

"I didn't tell her either," Spencer said. "Well, she knows that I met a guy at the beach that summer. But she has no idea it was you."

"So, how have you been?" Toby asked, changing the subject. "Your business seems to be doing really great. Are you still with that guy?"

"I was until recently. I was married to him, actually. But we just split up. He…he was cheating on me with someone. For a long time, I think."

"That's awful," Toby said and it seemed like he actually meant it. "Do you know who?"

"Nope. I never met her, and I'm glad I didn't because I think if I had I probably would've done some things to her I shouldn't talk about in front of a cop."

"Well, he's an idiot then." Toby told her. "You're way too good for him anyway."

Spencer smiled halfheartedly. "Thanks. It's ironic really, isn't it? When we meet up again you're about to enter a marriage just as I'm getting out of one."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

An awkward silence settled between them and she just looked at him for a minute, at those blue eyes that were averting her right now. There were more things she wanted to say – she wanted to ask him about Alison, how he felt about her, if she was the one – but she couldn't bring herself to do it. "So…call me if you need anything."

"Right," Toby nodded. "I will. Ali and I will see you on Saturday, right?"

"Right, bye." She forced a smile as he exited the store, then immediately exhaled once he was out of sight. The conversation that was supposed to bring her closure had done anything but.

Because now all she could think about was asking him if he was really sure marrying her best friend was a good idea, or if he still thought about her too.


End file.
